Chicken Brine for Smoking

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This is the most flavorful Chicken Brine For Smoking. It complements the flavors of the grill with fresh veggies and herbs, so your bird comes out moist and juicy every time.

Once your chicken is brined use this Whole Smoked Chicken Recipe for the juiciest results

Why You Should Make This Chicken Brine

Flavor: I know you don't want to start preparing your chicken a full 24 hours ahead of time, but I promise the difference in the flavor is quite noticeable. If you try it once, it will be the only way you will make chicken from now on.

Juicy: Brining not only adds flavor but also keeps the entire bird juicy, including that pesky breast meat that always wants to dry out.

Tender: Brine also helps to make the chicken tenderer, and the salt and sugars tenderize the proteins.

Clean out the Fridge: I always have half a stalk of old celery, some tired parsley and scallions, and some carrots that have seen better days. This is the perfect way to clean out the produce drawer.

What You'll Need to Make the Brine

I know it looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's mostly stuff you probably have on hand, and if you are missing one or two ingredients, it's not the end of the world. If you don't have lemons, you can use limes, oranges, or concentrate. No Scallions? Use half an onion. The only deal-breaker ingredients are Salt, sugar, and water. Full measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• Water
• Kosher Salt
• Brown Sugar
• Soy sauce
• Chicken Boullion Powder
• Black Peppercorns
• Lemons
• Parsley
• Scallions
• Carrots
• Celery

How to Make Chicken Brine For Smoking

Follow these easy steps, and I promise you will have the juiciest bird on the block. Please make sure the brine is cooled down completely before pouring it over the chicken. Otherwise, you can mess this recipe up.

1. Gather all of your ingredients and toss them in a large pot. Fill the pot with as much water as you need so that there is enough liquid to submerge the chicken fully. If you are brining multiple chickens you will need less water because of the displacement.
2. Bring the brine to a simmer and stir to make sure the sugar and salt are dissolved. Immediately remove the pot from the heat and add lots of Ice to cool down the brine. Do not pour the brine over the chicken until it is below 41 degrees F.
3. Once the Brine is chilled place the chicken in a container and pour in the brine just until the chicken is submerged. Place the container in the fridge overnight.
4. The next day remove the chicken from the the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken on a sheet tray with a wire rack and let it air dry for 2-4 hours before seasoning and smoking the chicken.

FAQ for Chicken Brine

Helpful Tips

Make sure you find a container that has a sealable lid and that fits in your fridge. If its winter and its very cold out you can leave the brine in the garage.

You can also brine the chicken directly in a cooler with lots of ice. Just make sure you bleach the cooler and rinse it well before you use it again.

You may want to add different ingredients like pickle juice, Fresh Jalapeños, Other Herbs like rosemary, thyme, bay leaf or sage.

You can also add seasonings such as curry powder, Chinese 5 spice, Jamaican jerk spice. It all depends what flavor profile you want the chicken to be.

Once you remove the chicken from the brine use a strainer to pour put the liquid down the sink. throw away all of the leftover ingredients then be sure to sanitize the sink.

Don't brine chicken more than 24 hours. it can break down and make the chicken mushy.

More Poultry Recipes

• Smoked Chicken Legs
• Spatchcock Smoked Chicken
• Smoked Turkey Wings
• Pellet Grill Smoked Chicken Thighs